Few things in life bring out stronger emotions – or present as many challenges – as dating and nurturing romantic relationships. Our society floods us with expectations of how to date, who to date, and when to have sex.

You may find someone you really click with, only to have the feelings fizzle a few weeks later. Or worse, you could start dating someone who seems like the perfect match, but who then turns out to be manipulative, putting you in danger of a toxic or abusive relationship.

Dating seems like a minefield sometimes. But you don’t have to be afraid to date and explore relationships. You can learn about relationships, and how to better navigate them. The right amount of caution, and staying clear on your values and priorities, goes a long way to making dating more fun and fulfilling.

Starting Off Strong

Before you start a dating relationship, it’s good to be honest with yourself about where you can be flexible and about areas where you can’t compromise.

Are you happy with yourself, and by yourself? Dating can be great, and it’s great when we can enjoy it. But your worth shouldn’t come from who you date (or whether you’re dating or not). Make sure you know your value as someone made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26) and that this value doesn’t change with your relationship status.

Where have your past relationships gone wrong? Recognizing past relationship mistakes can help you to avoid developing unhealthy patterns and keep you from connecting with people who can’t (or won’t) support you.

What are things you and your boyfriend or girlfriend must have in common? No two people are exactly alike (and that’s a good thing!), but certain common ground (common faith, worldview, political beliefs, or views about sex) may help you minimize unnecessary tension and conflict.

What will you do if a conflict arises? Even if you have common ground and similar priorities, you can’t avoid all conflict and disagreement. In fact, it may bring you closer. It’s good to have a plan for how you’ll listen and talk things through with your partner when you hit a bump in a road.

How will faith shape your relationship? Wherever you are in your faith journey, it’s important to remember that you and your boyfriend or girlfriend can always pray for one another, talk about your faith together, and encourage one another.

Unfortunately, not every relationship will last. But you get help, hope, and support when your relationship ends.

When Things Go Wrong

What if you break up? What if you get dumped? What if you’ve just left a boyfriend or girlfriend who became toxic or abusive? It can be devastating, but there’s always something you can do.

Find a Safe Place: If you’re living with a partner who makes you feel unsafe, find a safe, nurturing environment as soon as you can.

Care for Yourself: Remembering that nourishing your body, mind, and spirit is essential after a difficult or toxic relationship ends.

Reach out for Help: We have helped many people heal their broken hearts and rediscover their purpose after leaving a bad relationship. We are eager to support you, too.

You’ve come to the right place for hope and help with your dating life and romantic relationships. And that growth and renewal can start right now.

Dating Relationships can be complicated. But we’ve created podcasts, blogs, and e-books to help make things easier. Search our library with your questions:

Most Recent Blogs on Dating

Guest Post by Aimee Wathen It’s currently 1:35 am and I am wide awake. Thinking. Some nights are like this. I guess I do all my critical self-evaluation after midnight. That’s normal, right? After the dust of the day has settled, my brain goes wild. It doesn’t matter if I am..Read more

The equation for a healthy relationship and how to tell if you’re in one or ready for one. Relationships can be are tough. They take work. They take commitment. They can’t give up when it gets hard. They should strive to, not only see the good in the person but also help each other become the best version..Read more

The end of a relationship can feel devastating. It can be hard to sleep, eat, or concentrate. The things you once thought were fun don’t appeal anymore. Depending on how long you were together, or how intense the emotional attachment was, it may even feel like you don’t know what..Read more

I remember many years ago, reading an article about condoms. There was a big debate at the time as to whether condoms would slow down the sexual revolution and really make sex safer. There was a quote from a Catholic priest which I’ll never forget. He said, “I’ll believe in condoms..Read more

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My name is Megan. I broke up with my boyfriend. We had a long distance relationship for a year and a half. During that time, he would say how much he loved me and that he couldn’t live a life without me and everything will be perfect when we are..Read more

Tayla Had A Gut Feeling He Was A Cheating Boyfriend What would you do if you had a cheating boyfriend? “I found out that there was a high chance my boyfriend was cheating on me but unfortunately didn’t know for sure. So I was stressing out about how to go..Read more

My best friend, who is a girl, and myself were having difficulties in our relationship. Our parents told us to stop talking because we were getting too close. When we finally were able to talk again, this girl told me we needed to kill the relationship. I didn’t know what..Read more

Starting Over After The Fire It was two weeks ago today I was at work and working in the same building I lived in when a fire started right where I was. I used two extinguishers to attempt to put it out, but it had raced up the walls and..Read more

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Verses of Hope

Free eBooks

Free eBook: Understanding a Relationship with God

A guide to understanding the basics of Christianity and a meaningful relationship with God. Do You Feel Like Life is Meaningless? Are you wondering what your purpose is? Do you have questions about what Christians believe or what it means to be a Christian? At TheHopeLine we believe real and lasting HOPE can only come […]